Beyond Blue #3- The Mane Event
by Casey
Summary: The third in the series. Four of the heelers are sent to protect a valuable horse at Equitana.


The Mane Event.  
  
Commenced: 12 October 2001  
  
Finished: 24 December 2001  
  
Author's Note: This is the 3rd story in the Beyond Blue series. It is a story that contains horses, so I've kept the horse terminology simple for those people who don't know anything about horses. I would love feedback, the good and the bad. BTW, the title is meant to be "The Mane Event" not "The Main Event"  
  
Disclaimer: You know the drill, but I own the characters' I made up! And of course the storyline.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Emily!" Jonsey yelled.  
  
"Emily!" Jo's voice echoed in the valley.  
  
The sun was setting fast. Tess searched her surroundings. Tess could just hear the four wheeler engines hum in the distance. Suddenly up head, Tess heard a sound. Tess halted her horse. She called out Emliy's name, no answer. Her horse, Matilda neighed, a neigh answered Matilda. Tess urged Matilda on. As Tess came into the clearing she saw a snow white horse with it's saddle lopsided.  
  
FLASH  
  
"There's Jack's horse, but where's Jack?"  
  
"Look, blood,"  
  
"Jack?!"  
  
"Oh my god, his over here! Call the ambo!"  
  
FLASH  
  
Tess froze.  
  
"No, not now," Tess whispered. Tess shook her head. Must concentrate, she thought. Tess approached the rider-less horse. Horrible memories of when Jack got shot played in her memory.  
  
Tess slowly approached the horse, not wanting to frighten it.  
  
"Easy," Tess came close enough to grab the horse's reins. Sitting back up, Tess reached for her radio. Quickly looking around, Tess could see no other sign of life.  
  
"Mt Thomas 508 to all units, I have found what looks to be like Emliy's horse, but there's no sign of Emliy." Tess said over the radio. "I'm returning to base. Mt Thomas 508, back to main channel."  
  
Tess turned around and trotted back to base, side-by-side with Emliy's horse.  
  
Here's the scenario: Young Emliy Fairbridge was riding her horse Star in the national park for a early morning ride. Something happened in the national park and Emliy failed to return home. Her folks called the police. The police sent out a search party and the SES. Ben, P.J and Jonsey had taken the station's only four wheelers leaving Tess and Jo to walk or ride a horse. Tess and Jo chose the horses'. Emliy had been missing since the early afternoon.  
  
Tess trotted out of the national park into the Fairbridge's backyard. A quick canter through the back paddock, Tess reached the homestead and the base.  
  
"Call the vet!" Tess yelled once she was in earshot of everyone. Tess felt that something was wrong with the horse. Tess jumped off Matilda and tied her up.  
  
"Star!" Mr and Mrs Fairbridge came running up to Star.  
  
"Have you seen our daughter?" Mrs Fairbridge asked Tess.  
  
"I'm afraid I have seen her, but someone else may have," Tess reassured. "Why don't you go inside and watch t.v, I'll take care of Star,"  
  
"Thankyou sergeant," Tess inspected Star when they left. Star's lovely white coat was stained with mud, grass and blood. Hang on a minute, blood? Tess noticed numbers of cuts but nothing serious. Tess followed a trail of blood up Star's leg to a small hole in Star's hindquarters that was slowly leaking blood.  
  
"Boss!" Tess shouted. Tom came running over to Tess. "Look at this," Tess pointed to the hole in Star's hindquarters. He carefully examined it.  
  
"A bullet wound," he concluded. "The vet is on his way. I've called everyone in for the night, "  
  
After photo's were taken of Star (for the records), Tess took the two horses into the stable. The Fairbridges' had kindly let Tess, Jo, some SES and the mounted police  
  
horses' stay the night. Tess settled Matilda for the night before tending to Star. By the time the vet arrived, Tess had almost had Star spotless of any mud, grass stains or blood.  
  
"Tess this is Dr Hughes, Dr Hughes this is Sergeant Gallagher," Tom introduced.  
  
"Nice to meet you," Dr Hughes said. "Alright, lets take a look at Star." Dr Hughes took out his kit and began to examine Star.  
  
"She's being through the mill. Cuts and bruises, but they should heal nicely." Then Dr Hughes noticed the bullet hole. "Holy crap! This horse has been shot. I'll have to operate but I didn't bring a float. "  
  
"I'm afraid you can't take Star back to the clinic,"  
  
"In that case I'll take the bullet out now. I'll need a lot of light."  
  
P.J, Ben and Jonsey drove thorugh the gate that lead into the back paddock. Jo jumped the fence. Matilda and Blaze had being trained as police horses, so Blaze didn't mind the racket that the four wheelers were making.  
  
"Race ya to the fence," Jo yelled over the noise.  
  
"Your on," came the replies. Jo urged her horse into a gallop, the guys' turned on the throttle. The ate up the paddock. Jo pulled infront, bounded to the fence and with one mighty leap they cleared the water trough and the fence.  
  
Stopping her horse she said, "Beat ya!"  
  
"Next time it'll be me kicking your butt," Jonsey killed the engine.  
  
"So you say,"  
  
By now the sun had truly set. Floodlights lit up the area. Tess and Tom came up to Jo, Jonsey, P.J and Ben.  
  
"Any luck?" Tom asked.  
  
"Nope," Ben replied.  
  
"Any leads?" P.J queried.  
  
"Yes. It's obvious that someone wanted to put this horse out of action. Mrs Fairbridge has said that Star is an expensive horse and that she is very successful in the show ring. Tess and I believe that someone has tried to put Star out of action for Equitana, apparently the prize money for the Young Horse of the Year is well into the thousands."  
  
"Money worth a try at,"  
  
"The vet is operating on the horse right now," Tess added.  
  
"I suggest that you go home and get an early night, I expect you all to be here at sunrise tomorrow," Tom ordered.  
  
Instead of the heelers heading home, they headed to the pub.  
  
~*~  
  
"Where's Ben?" Tess asked as P.J came in the station door.  
  
"He got a call from the boss. Ben had to guard the Fairbridge's horse until we arrived," P.J laughed.  
  
"In that case we should take our time," Jonsey added.  
  
"I don't think so constable, there is a young girl out in the national park wearing only a tee-shirt and pants," Tess zipped up her jacket. "Let's go,"  
  
"Fax!" Jo announced.  
  
"It'll have to wait," Tess grabbed her keys. Jo quickly grabbed the fax before racing out to the patrol cars.  
  
"Hey, listen to this," Jo said as they were driving to the Fairbridge's place. "Cop killer on the loose, show horses' being stolen and a string of armed robberies in St David's, we're been asked to look out for some people, descriptions are here." Jo read to P.J  
  
"Show horses' been stolen may have some connection with our case, is there any more information?" P.J asked.  
  
"Only that all of these horses were going to compete in Equitana, and that they're expensive and that they suspect Jarred Lewis is doing it,"  
  
"There's our connection,"  
  
The heelers arrived at the Fairbridge's house. The fog was thick on the ground, it was the coldest summer night on record. Tess jumped onto Matilda. From the horse's back, Tess surveyed the activity. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Tess looked around. This place is lucky to be around, Tess thought. The memory of last week burned crystal clear in Tess's mind, Tess could still see the flames that engulfed the town in her mind. Few places had been left untouched by the fire that wrecked a blooming country town. The people had slowly re-built their town but Mt Thomas would always be scared by the blaze.  
  
Tess moved Matilda off, time was valuable.  
  
~*~  
  
"Emliy!" Tess cried out. She swung off Matilda, Tess pulled off her jacket and wrapped it around the girl. "Are you ok?"  
  
"I guess so," she replied.  
  
"Lets get back home,"  
  
~*~  
  
"The Asian Pacific Equitana," Tom said. "The 22nd of November to the 25th. Now, sergeant, Parrish, Jones and Stewart will be going to Melbourne with these people to watch Star."  
  
"So we got to go to Melb to watch some horse?" Jonsey asked.  
  
  
  
"You will be escorting the Fairbridge's up there and back,"  
  
Time passed quickly, it was soon the time that Tess, Jo, Jonsey and Ben travelled up to Melbourne. The trip up to Melbourne was peaceful, northing happened. The heelers thought that the guy who attacked Star would be at Equitana, so the heelers thought it was best to watch Star as plain clothes coppers if they wanted to catch this guy in the act.  
  
~*~  
  
"Tess," Emily said whilst preparing Star for "The Mane Event".  
  
"Yep?" she replied.  
  
"Could you pass the gold cloth please," Tess reached into the backpack on the ground and pulled out the cloth.  
  
"I reckon you lucky to be in the Mane Event,"  
  
"I know,"  
  
"What are you going to do in the ring?"  
  
"Mainly just the play. I'll just go and get changed now,"  
  
"I'll be here,"  
  
~*~  
  
Emily cantered out of the tunnel and into the arena along with ten other horses. They suddenly stoped in the middle, Star reared up and thus the play began. Tess stood next to Jonsey, looking out for trouble. Ben and Jo where on the opposite side of the arena. Tess looked around, she noticed some weirdo staring at Star, a weirdo that look much like a crim. The face did ring a bell but Tess couldn't name the face.  
  
When it had ended Emily and Star came out into the open.  
  
"You go and put Star in the stable and be right there," Tess told Emily.  
  
"Ok," she answered. Tess turned around and indicated for Jonsey to do the same. They waited, Jonsey didn't understand what was happening. A scream echoed though the night. Tess and Jonsey took off towards the stable.  
  
"This is my plan," Tess said in between gasps of air. The pulled out there guns. Star reared up.  
  
"POLICE! DON'T MOVE!" Tess yelled, followed close by Jonsey. The crim bolted, Jonsey gave chase.  
  
"Are you ok?" Tess asked Emily.  
  
"I think so," she replied, calming her horse. Tess ran off in Jonsey's aid. Jonsey had him on the ground but was struggling to put the cuffs on him. Jonsey pinned him down and Tess whipped on the cuffs.  
  
"You under arrest for the thief of prize horses, assault and tempted theft of My Little Star. Your not obliged to say or do anything but anything you say or do will be taken down and may be used against you in court. Do you understand?" Tess pulled up Jarred. She remembered the face and name suddenly came to her. Tess called the cops to take Jarred away, he was going to be transferred to St David's in the morning to face the music.  
  
Emily and Star won many blue (1st place) ribbons and the young horse of the year award. Tess, Jo, Ben and Jonsey stayed until the show was over and then returned to Mt Thomas.  
  
THE END 


End file.
